Pollo a la cerveza with rice cooked in coconut milk a Colombian recipe

February 26, 2018 SouthAmerica

Chicken cooked in beer with rice cooked in coconut milk

Chicken cooked in beer is one of the many ways people in several countries in South America enjoy chicken. Colombian food is strongly influenced by the Caribbean. For example, while visiting Playa Blanca one can experience the preparation of rice cooked with freshly grated coconut. This is a very traditional dish of the coastal cities of Colombia. Another peculiarity of Colombian dishes is the use of banana leaves. Ideally the chicken cooked in beer will traditionally be prepared with banana leaves. This time I am omitting the banana leaves because they are difficult to source in the USA. Caribbean food is sweet and savory making good use of fresh ingredients, and Colombia offers a wide range of vegetables and fruits. Nowadays we are learning all the benefits from the coconut milk in other countries, and having access to it makes a very easy way to bring a little taste of Colombia to your table. I hope you get to enjoy this dish as much as we do.

Serves 6

Riced cooked in coconut milk

Ingredients:

1 cup of Jasmine rice

1/3 cup of raisins soaked in ½ cup of hot water

¼ cup of finely chopped yellow onion

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 13.66 oz. can of Thai Kitchen organic coconut milk

2 tbsp. of olive oil and a dash of salt

Sugar (optional)

Preparation:

In a medium-sized pot over medium heat add the olive oil, then the onion, garlic, and rice. Brown them until fragrant and to this add the soaked raisins and its water, the coconut milk (preferably well mixed before incorporating to the pot) and a dash of salt. Bring the mix to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, and taste before you decide if you want to add some sugar to your liking. Set aside until ready to serve.

Pollo a la cerveza

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts cut in half, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin powder

1/3 cup of tomato paste

1/3 cup of onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup of bell pepper chopped

5 sprigs of green onions chopped

1 tbsp. of cilantro finely chopped

1 12 oz. bottle of beer this time I am using New Belgium Fat Tire (Colorado beer)

1 chicken bouillon

1 tbsp. of flour to thicken the sauce (make slurry)

Olive oil

Preparation:

In a deep sauce pan over medium-high heat, add some olive oil, and once it is warmed add the seasoned chicken pieces and brown them on both sides. Remove from pan. In the same pan over medium heat add more olive oil if needed, then the tomato sauce, the onions, garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the beer, the chicken pieces, the bell pepper, cilantro, and green onions. Bring to a boil and add the chicken bouillon, lower the heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. Then to thicken the beer-sauce add to the slurry equal parts of flour and water. Cook for 5 more minutes to smooth out the raw flour taste.

To serve, place the rice on the plate along with a portion of the Pollo a la cerveza.

Enjoy with a good beer!